Vertebral Palsy In Out Of My Mind By Sharon Draper

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Recommended: Disabilities in modern society

“Some things may never get better, but your ability to deal with that problem will improve.” This was said by, Wayne Kirk. In the book, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, the main character Melody was born with cerebral palsy. She has an active and bright mind but you are not able to see that because she can’t use her words to speak. Having a child with special needs is extremely challenging. You don’t get the chance to watch them grow up like the other kids, you watch them struggle and fight to be heard. Even though children with special needs don’t always struggle or fight. They are still trying hard to be like the children they are always around, like their classmates or even siblings. Melody, is an eleven-year-old girl, in fifth grade. She is a fighter just like her mother. Melody has fought hard to speak out and her mother has fought to get her into a public school to have a normal social life. Being born with vertebral palsy is very difficult, your body is stiff and uncooperative. Since she is unable to walk, move her arms and legs, and even grip things she is in a wheelchair. Even though Melody is not able to speak, she knows what is going on. Other people are not aware of this; she believes that she …show more content…

Melody’s classmates and teacher assume this right away and she absolutely hates it. They take Melody for granted and later in the book they realize she is just like them. Melody is able to prove them wrong by joining the trivia team, passing the exam with a perfect score, and helping them make it to finals in Washington, D.C. With excitement and feeling she belongs for once, something bad happens, her flight got cancelled. Melody was unable to make it to the competition because of the weather and since she didn’t fly with the team she could go and compete. With feeling depressed and that she let her team down, they all apologize to

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